1. Technical Field
The invention concerns a cleaning device, in particular for casings of electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices such as laptop computers, keyboards, monitors and suchlike are highly susceptible to dust. This applies in particular to devices with black casings. The components which require more frequent cleaning primarily include monitors, keyboards and other sensitive surfaces on which keys, buttons, card bays or displays are mounted. Conventional brushes and cloths are only suitable to a limited degree for cleaning of such devices and components, because they only partially take up the dust, while merely spreading most of it around the surface being cleaned. In order to improve cleaning efficiency, brush cleaning devices have been developed which are fitted with a dust collector and have an ultrasound device to assist the cleaning process. Reference is made to EP0872782 in this regard. Mains or battery powered hand-held vacuum cleaners are also used, such as disclosed in EP0820716.
An object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective cleaning device for electronic devices by means of which a high level of cleaning effect accompanied by efficient dust collection can be attained.
A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device which is particularly suitable for safe cleaning of sensitive surface components such as displays and high-gloss plastic surfaces, thereby also avoiding the use of liquid cleaners and their disadvantages, such as streaking, solvent vapors, etc.
A further object of the invention is to provide effective cleaning of electronic devices without use of electric power such as from the mains or a battery source.
The cleaning device in accordance with the invention, as defined in the Claims, comprises a block made of a flexible material which, on its underside intended to contact the surface being cleaned, has a large number of incisions which run crossways and form flexible fins which can be deflected outward toward both sides. When the device is in use the fins spread and create slit openings to collect the dust. The incisions preferentially cover two thirds of the block and run virtually parallel to its sides, so that the fins have a rectangular cross-section. The block may preferentially be made of a soft foam.
Where larger versions of the cleaning device are used, the block may be joined to a rigid plate on its top in order to prevent the block bending during cleaning. The plate may have a handle on its top to provide improved handling of the device.